Submarine torpedo.



H. W. SHONNARD.

SUBMARINE TORPEDO. APPLICATION FILED 23.15, 1912.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

H. W. SHONNARD SUBMARIN'E TOHPEDO.

APPLIQATION FILED FEB.15, 1912 l Patentad Nov. 4, 1913.

WITNESSES.

ATTORNEY S HAROLD W. SHONNARD, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY. I

.SUBMARINE 'IORPEDO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

Application filed February 15, 1912. Serial No. 677,763.

To all whom 23 may concern:

Be it known that I, HAROLD. W. Snow NARD, a citizen of the United States, resid ing at East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented'certam new and useful Improvements in Sub marine Torpedoes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. 7

In the constructionof self-propelling and automatically directed submarine torpedoes, the rigid conditions of established practice, and complicated considerations of weightdistribution and compact arrangement of internal mechanisms are controlling factors which cannot be overlooked where any at tempts are made at improvement.

, The present invention has for its principal object the provision of means constructed and operating consistently with the exacting conditions of established practice,

whereby a prime mover of great compactness and high power may be employed to propel the torpedo.

Among the various novel advantages resulting from use of my improvement are the following: I am able to use a. double acting engine kept cool by submersion of all working parts and applied to the cluster gears immediately, and to save room and improve the conditions of balance and buoyancy by storing the liquid fuel used for running the engine in a reservoir or tank' which surrounds the water-cooled space wherein the engine cylinders are located. I employ a single rotary valve having the same speed the propeller shaft, and preferably directly connected thereto. This greatly simplifies the construction of the valve and its associated parts; and in the preferred form great saving of room is accomplished by placing the engine cylinders in a parallel group around the valve as a center. By ar ranging the cylinders symmetrically and parallel to each other, I am able to place water-tight boxes between the cylinders wherein the sparking coils are removably deposited, in immediate juxtaposition to the sparking plugs at both ends. By this means no high tension wires are carried through the water and the utmost simplicity of arrangemcnt is secured. The space between the cylinders being thus utilized, there is a corresponding economy of space eii'ected in other portions of the torpedo body which would otherwise have to accommodate the sparking coils. The low tension generator (magneto) is placed behind a water tight bulkhead, and direct, simple and secure means are provided for conveying the-low tension current to the sparking coils in the water space between the cylinders. By arranging the single rotary valve to supply the new mixture through the bers said mixture as it passes through these ch ambers acts to scavenge them,,so that perfeet certainty of action of the sparks is insured. The arrangement of the fuel tank in the same compartment as the engine proper, saves the necessity of connecting and disconnecting fuel supply pipes when the torpedo sections are connected and separated. The weight of a special casing is also saved and the displacement is improved. By transferring the reversing or cluster gears to the immediate vicinity of the engine so that they are directly connected to the engine pitmen, the tail of the torpedo (where these gears have been located heretofore) becomes available as a buoyancy chamber. By using three engine cylinders, I can place two below the center of'displaceinent and one above, and so improve the stability of the torpedo, and also the direct conncction with the cluster gears is madeconsistent with the use of gears of uniform size. This arrangement also gives room for the magneto on the line intermediate between the two lower engine cylinders. This ar rangement, by permitting use of cluster gears all of the same size, permits the use of a single rotary valve for all ing with the propeller shaft.

The. invention is illustrated in one preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings wherein,

Figure 1 is a central median section of that portion of a torpedo in which my engine is located, Fig. 2 is a cross sectlon of the engine proper showing the valve in cross section, Fig. 3- is a partial section on the line 3-'3 of,F1g. 2, and Fig. 4 is an elevation (With partial section) of that compartment of a torpedo which contains my improved engine, the cap of the automatic valve belng removed.

The torpedo is, as usual, constructed of sections, the shell of one section being shown at 10- and the shell of the contiguous section being shown at 11. The bolts 12, or equivaignition cham cylinders, turn- I tion to the engine,

three driving gears lent means are used to secure the sections to ir-flier. A watertight bulkhead 13 extends across the roar section 10, and near the forward end of said section is bolted the annular supporting member 1-1. The bulkhead 19 and member 1+ are joined by an inner shell 15 preferably cylindrical, which is shown fastened to each member by bolting to appi'-' priate flanges 16. Within the inner shell. is located the engine proper, and the space between the inner and outer shells preferably employed as a tank 1 for holdin'gthe gasolenc or other fuel used. The engine space within the shell 15 is accessible to the sea water by means of apertures 17 in the shell 11, the interior of which shell is protected by the usual bulkhead 1S.

Tlie engi'ne cylinders 19, preferably three in number, are arranged symmetrically around, and with their axes parallel to, the prolongation 'of the axis of the propeller shaft. This shaft comprises the usual in ner tube 20 and outer sleeve 21, respectively connected to-the two oppositely rotating propellers. It is one important advantage of my invention that the cluster gears for insuring the opposite rotation of these propellers'are placed in immediate juxtaposi-' thus relieving the tail of the torpedo of their weight, and producing other advantageous effects which will be obvious. These gears are arranged symmetrically around the shaft axis, and consist of 22 placed 120' degrees apart, and all gearing with the beveled pinion'23 fixed to the tube 20 on one side,.'and with a similar pinion 2% fixed to the outer sleeve 21.

From each pist cylinder 19, a .piston -rod 26- extends back through stuffingboxes into a water-tight casing or trunk 27 foreach rod, and a pitman 28connects each piston rod 26 with the corresponding driving wrist pin 29 upon the gear 22 I prefer to mount the pitmen between the gears 22 and the disks 80 provided with suitable ball hearings in the removable caps31 bolted to the casing 32. The casing 32 with its caps and the driving gears are held fixed by ribs 33 extending to the casings .or trunks 27, or other suitable provision may be made for this purpose.

- In the prolongation of the direction of the propeller shaft, and surrounded by the cylinders 19,1 place the fixed valve casing 34: bolted at the rear to he bulkhead 13 and provided at its forward end with a tight cap 35forming part of a mixing chamber whichv air under pressure may be supplied by the pipe 37 and fuel by the pipe 38 throughthe valve 39 (see Fig. 4:). It will be seen-that I thus secure a mixing chamber common to all the cylinders located in the '-automatic"distributing-valve. I also use a single inlet and exhaust valve. The passage 'cap 35, the mixing chamber,

tight covers n-25, sliding in its own.

high tension curred of air through the pipe 37 is'commanded by any well known valve movable by means of the working gear'fi'O, operated by the .worm 71, which is turned in a well known manner for this-purpose.

Within the casing 34 rotates the single rotary valve member 40, coinmunicating at its rear end with the hollow propeller shaft 20, through the enlarged chamber 11, bolted to the shaft tube. A large check valve 4:2 permits the exhaust gases to escape, while preventing any entrance of water or gas from the rear. I v

The forward end of'the rotary member 40 is closed-by a partition 43, forming, with the. and from this chamberthere extends an inlet tube eel, pro- 'vided with two branches 15, 46 at opposite ends of the cylinders 19, and intended to register respectively and successively with the forward and rear explosion chambers all the way around, as the valve revolves. Op-

. posite each branch 15, 46 are elongated openings' 47, 18, wherebythe' exhaust is admitted from the cylindersg'through the explosion chambers, to the space within the 10- tary member 40,

symmetrically placed between each pair of cylinders 50, and divided within into three compartments (see'Fi'gs'. 1- and 3). Vithin each middle compartment is placed a removable sparking coil 51, having terminals 52, 53, which make contact, where the co'il is placed in the box, 55, arranged as clearly shown in Figs. land 3 to form sparks within the end compartments of the boxes 19. These terminal compartments form the explosion chambers above refer-redto, and communicate by p ascylinders 19. It is to be noted that the explosion live mixture and the exhaustgas'es pass (at difi'erent times) through said chambers. The advantage of this arrangement is that the live mixture, as it rushes through each explosion chamber sweeps out any exhaust gas remaining therein, thus insuring an explos'ion on the occurrence of each spark.

1 ,-I prefer to employ a magneto 58, placed.

below the propeller shaft just behind the bulkhead 13, and Within the space between the two lower connecting rod casings 27 Elie magneto is driven by a pinion 59 mesh ing with the larger spur wheel 60 on theholare the boxes 49, having water with sparking plugs, 54-,"

chambers are so placed thatboth the 'sages 56, 57, with opposite ends of adjacent lowshaft 20. The low tension current generated V by the magneto is conveyed by a proper directing and timing commutator 61, on the magneto shaft, and'is conveyed thence lay-wires 62, through short watertight tubes 63,.to the removable sparkcoils 51; there being-a separate tubelfi z'tlind-apair of low tension wires for each box'49, Conveyance of t isthus made absolutely directly to the sparking coils, and danger of all leakage is avoided. By this arrangement, also, the electrical generating and commutating elements of the torpedo are kept entirely away from the water, while the englue is nevertheless entirely immersed for cooling purposes. This cooling feature is very important, also, in connection with the single rotary valve.

The construction herein described makes it possible to increase greatly the power and efllciency of a given torpedo, since I can provide within a minimum of space a double acting three cylinder gas engine.

Various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my improvement without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and I do not limit myself to the details herein shown .and described.

What I claim is- 1. In a self-propelled torpedo, a Watertight bulkhead, a propeller shaft having its forward end near said bulkhead, a compartment accessible to the seat directly forward of said bulkhead, a heat engine in said compartment comprising cylinders and pistons grouped around the axis of and suitably connected with said shaft, a tight valve casing piercing said bulkhead in the line of said shaft, and a rotary valve for said cylinders within said valve casing, attached to said shaft, substantially as described.

2. In a self-propelled torpedo, a watertight bulkhead, a propeller-shaft having its forward end near said bulkhead, acompartment accessible to the sea directly forward of said bulkhead, a heat engine in said compartment comprising cylinders and pistons arranged parallel to the axis of said shaft and suitably connected thereto, a tight valve casing piercing said bulkhead in the line of said shaft and arotary valve for said cylinders within said valve casing attached to said shaft, substantially as described.

3. In a self-propelled torpedo, a watertight bulkhead,.a propeller shaft having its forward end near said bulkhead, a compartment accessible to the sea directly forward of said bulkhead, a heat engine in said compartment comprising cylinders and pistons grouped around the axis of and suitably connected with said shaft, a tight valve casing piercing said bulkhead in the line of i5 said shaft, and a rotary valve within said casing, attached to said shaft, and arranged to control inlet and outlet of gases at both ends of all of said cylinders, substantially as described.

"0 4. In a self-propelled torpedo, a watertight bulkhead, a propeller shaft having its forward end near said bulkhead, a compartment accessible to the sea directly forward ofsaid bulkhead, a heat engine in said com- 5 partment comprising cylinders and pistons arranged parallel to the axis of said shaft, tight casings piercing said bulkhead opposite said cylinders, connecting means between said pistons and said propeller passing through said casings, a tight valve casing piercing said bulkhead in the line of said shaft, and a rotary valve for said cylinders Within said valve casing attached to said shaft, substantially as described.

5. In a self-propelled torpedo, a watertight bulkhead, a propeller shaft having its forward end near said bulkhead, a comparh ment accessible to the sea directly forward of said bulkhead, an internal explosion engine comprising sparking means and three parallel cylinders and pistons grouped around the axis of and suit-ably connected with said shaft, two of said cylinders being located below said axis and one above it, a magneto located below the axis of said shaft behind said bulkhead and electrically con-' nected with said sparking means. and means connected with said shaft for driving said magneto, substantially as described.

6. In a self-propelled torpedo, a watertight bulkhead,,a compound propeller shaft having the usual two oppositely rotating elements, gearing for driving the same comprising a cluster gear of beveled pinions-v placed just behind said bulkhead, a compartment forward of said bulkhead accessible to the sea, a heat engine in said compartment comprising a cylinder and piston for eachpinion in said cluster gear, a watertight casing piercing said bulkhead opposite each cylinder, and suitable mechanical connecting means between each piston and one pinion in said cluster. gear, said connecting means passing through said casings respectively, substantially as described.

7 In a self-propelled torpedo, a colnpart ment accessible to the sea closed aft by a watertight bulkhead, a tight valvecasing piercing said bulkhead, a heat engine having cylinders and pistons grouped around said valve cas ng, a hollow propeller shaft adapted to be driven by said engine, and a rotary valve within said valve casing common to all of said cylinders and adapted to direct the exhaust from said cylinders into said hollow shaft, substantially as described.

8. In a self-propelled torpedo, a compartment accessible to the sea closed aft by a watertight bulkhead, a compound propeller shaft, a cluster gear placed just aft of said bulkhead for driving said shaft, a heat eni v 9. In a self-propelled torpedo, a propeller shaft, a heat engine comprising cylinders and pistons grouped around the axis thereof. and -operat-ively connected therewith, and a reservoir fpr liquid-fuel surroundingsaid engine, substantially as described.

10. In a self-propelled torpedo, a conipartment accessible to the sea, closed aft by a watertight bulkhead, a reservoir for liquid fuel surroiinding said compartment, a propeller shaft behind said bulkhead, and a heat engine within said compartment comprising cylinders and pistons operatively connected Withsaid shaft,substantially as described, Q

' 11, In a self-propelled torpedo, a com ,partment accessible to the sea,;closed aftby a watertigh bulkhead, a propeller shaft behind. said bulkhead, a high tension generatoralso behindsaid bulkhead, an explosion engine within said compartment for driving said shaft comprising a number of cylinders grouped symmetrically around the axis of said shaft, suitable boxes grouped between said cylinders around said axis, spark coils in said boxes for converting. high tension current into low tension current, electric connections between said generator andsaid spark coils, and Willie I tight conduits for protecting said electric connections, substan tially as described. j

.12. In a self-propelled torpedo, a compartment accessible to the sea closed aft by a Watertight bulkhead, a heat engine in said compartment compmsmg a single rotary valve having a mixing chamber at one end thereof and a number of cylinders andpis tons grouped around thesame, a reservoir for liquid fuel surrounding said compartm'ent',fand a pipe connecting said reservoir and said mixing chamber on said valve, substantially as described.

"13.511; a; self-propelled torpedo, and in' combination, a transverse watertight bulk- -head,a propelling internal combustion e'ngine having cylinders, pistons and valves within a space accessible to the surrounding water :on one-side of said bulkhead, exploding means operated by said engine on the opposite side of saidbulkhead and out of reach of the surrounding water, means for.

storing air and fuel within the torpedo and means for supplying the same to said engine, substantially as described.

14,111 a self-propelled torpedo, and-in combination, two transverse watertight bulkheads, having a chamber between them, a perforatedshell surrounding said chant ber, an internal combustion engine for propelling the torpedo having cylinders, pistons 1 to the surrounding water forward of said bulkhead, exhaust pipes leading through said water space'and said bulkhead and discharging aft of said bulkhead, automatic exploding means for the engine aft of said bulkhead, means for storing air and fuel within the torpedo and means for supplying the same to said engine, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, affix my signature, inpresence of two witnesses, i HAROLD W. SHONNARD. /Vitnesses: I I

i H. S. MAcKAYn, KATHAR NE C. MEAri.

self-propelled torpedo, a trans 

